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Bring on Ravens

Patriots stuff Texans, advance to AFC title game

FOXBORO -- All hopeless romantics and CBS executives yearned for Brady vs. Manning in the AFC title game this coming Sunday, for big ratings and old time's sake.

But weird stuff happens in the NFL playoffs. Before the weirdness could turn into oh my god, it will be Flacco vs. Schaub, the Patriots cleared up the AFC static by being the Patriots -- consistent, methodical, intelligent and tough.

And so Tom Brady is safely through to where Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers did not make it this year -- to a conference championship game, after the Patriots handled the Houston Texans, 41-28, in an AFC divisional round playoff game Sunday at Gillette Stadium.

The Patriots this coming Sunday at Gillette will play the Baltimore Ravens in a rematch of last season's AFC title game, which was won by the Patriots, 23-20. It will be the Patriots' ninth AFC title game, their seventh in 13 seasons under Bill Belichick. Their only AFC title-game loss ever was to Peyton Manning and the Colts in Indianapolis in 2006.

"It's sweet just playing in the AFC championship game. I don't care where it's at," said Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork. "It's sweeter to play at home; that's the bonus."

Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo jokingly wondered, "It's Brady playing Manning this week?" when a reporter asked about the quarterback match-up that did not come to pass.

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Brady said, "I think the two best teams are in the finals. Baltimore certainly deserves to be here and so do we, so it's very fitting."

The Patriots would probably it rather be Manning and the Broncos in the AFC title game. Belichick's teams above all else value the mental toughness needed to fight out of difficult circumstances.

And that is precisely what the Ravens do best, which they demonstrated in defeat in the playoffs here last January and again this past Saturday in Denver, where they stunned No. 1 seed Denver, 38-35, in the second overtime, riding the emotion of the Ray Lewis Farewell Dance.

"A great team as far as being able to stay tough in hard situations when things aren't going their way, and to be able to turn things around," said Patriots linebacker/defensive end Rob Ninkovich.

Ninkovich, who showed very Bruschi-like timing with a third-quarter interception of a Matt Schaub pass preceding the TD that put the Patriots up 31-13, would not be out of place saying similar things about these Patriots. Brady at his post-game press conference gave sort of a satisfied nod regarding this team possessing the mental toughness required to be a Super Bowl champion.

On Sunday there was New England's defense digging in to hold Houston to a field goal after a lesser-known Manning -- Houston's Danieal Manning -- returned the opening kickoff 94 yards to the Patriots' 12. There was also New England's offense overcoming early losses of running back Danny Woodhead (thumb) and tight end Rob Gronkowski (arm) to injuries.

(Gronkowski will reportedly miss the rest of the playoffs with a broken left arm). Brady said Woodhead and Gronkowski were major components to what New England had in store for Houston.

"These kinds of games, you never really know when the dial spins, where it's going to wind up, who it's going to end up on," said Belichick.

The dial wound up pointing to second-year running back Shane Vereen who caught five passes for 83 yards and two touchdowns, and rushed seven times for 41 yards and another score.

"Really, just a huge growing-up moment for him," Brady said of Vereen, who had eight receptions the entire regular season.

Brady, meanwhile, recorded his 17th career playoff victory, separating himself from his boyhood idol, Joe Montana, atop the all-time list.

"I think I've just been fortunate to play on some great teams over the years," said Brady. "I very much appreciate that and never take that for granted."

The Houston Texans, humiliated 42-14 here a month ago, did put up a good fight for a while, seriously hanging around for 21/2 quarters -- helped by a few officiating wild guesses -- until inevitability rolled New England to the AFC title game. The Patriots on Sunday against the Ravens must rely on a different tactic to survive and reach the Super Bowl than they used last year. Lee Evans and Billy Cundiff no longer play for Baltimore.

Back on Sept 23 in Baltimore, the Ravens defeated the Patriots, 31-30, in a game famous for Belichick's $50,000 grab of a replacement official after Ravens kicker Justin Tucker's 27-yarder at the buzzer was a 50-50 call.

"It's just a team that has a lot of fight in them," said Wilfork about the Ravens. "And it starts with Ray (Lewis) and what he brings to the team. We're up for the challenge. It's going to be a physical football game, but we've been there before."

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